Public Sector

Government Policy Review

4-consulting effectively use policy review tools and techniques to achieve a public sector organisation's strategy.

We advise on:

* re-structuring management 
* re-designing government funding formulae 
* IT and e-government strategy development 
* externalising services 
* the structure, organisation and management of executive agencies
* budget planning

Financial/Economic Planning

We use financial and economic planning tools and techniques to achieve public sector organisation's achieve their strategy.

We advise on:

* grant schemes to support government policies 
* bids for capital funding 
* funding a major capital investment for government 
* proposed PPP/PFI projects

Best Value Review

Through using value review and performance improvement tools and techniques4-consulting can enable the organisation to work smarter.

We can achieve this by:

* evaluating the programmes they deliver 
* reviewing a particular service 
* advising on the outsourcing function of a government organisation 
* assisting with IT implementation 
* designing management information systems

Organisation Review

We have assisted a number of bodies to improve their decision-making process through using a tool to assist in evaluating, comparing and prioritising diverse projects.
This tool – the Impact Matrix™ – has allowed the organisation to justify these projects to their Board, and in some instances, to justify why they are not undertaking certain activities.

IT Strategy

We undertake effectiveness and efficiency reviews of IT facilities and recommend changes aimed at aligning the IT strategy with organisations' long-term objectives and government.

Training, Development, Coaching & Mentoring

We provide a variety of training and development solutions to enable people to become more effective.

Our consultants offer specialist training in many areas, and our bespoke training events can be tailored to meet the needs of specific individuals or groups.

Through coaching or mentoring we can provide a support mechanism to a range of people in senior positions, enabling them to review their performance in a safe environment and ensuring their effective development.

Key Contacts

* Ralph Leishman
* Laurence Grainger
* Ros Southcott
* Sandy Pratt

Sample Clients

* Completing a three year project for the National Museums of Scotland to review their IT facilities, develop the specification, manage the public procurement tendering process and oversee the hardware installation and implementation.
* Preparing an advisory report for the Electoral Commission on the development of an Outreach Strategy through examining options for target audiences and activities.
* Undertaking a study – “Impact of Childcare Support for Lone Parent Students”  – on behalf of the Scottish Executive to evaluate the child poverty package which helps lone parents into further and higher education.
* Commissioned by the Home Office through OGC to conduct a strategic review of forensic pathology services in England and Wales. A ministerial statement accepting the key recommendations of the review and setting out the Government’s intentions was made to the House of Commons in March 2003. Subsequently assisting with review of pathology services in Scotland on behalf of the Crown Office.
* Providing a series of workshops on development and strategy to senior management at Wales Tourist Board which facilitated the prioritisation of projects and activities through the Impact Matrix™.
* On behalf of Scottish Enterprise completing the second phase of the EU funded Premier Adviser Programme through delivering the Economic Development module to business advisors in Scotland.
* Delivering a course on E-government to the management team of Communities Scotland.
* Leading a team reviewing the basis of allocation of Police GAE (funding) from the Scottish Executive to the eight police forces in Scotland. 
* Facilitating a "Partnering Workshop" between a NHS Trust and the outsourced services contractor in a PFI/PPP unit shortly after commissioning with a view to identifying those aspects of the project that had worked well and those where there was room for improvement. 
* Review of the structure and operations of the Scottish Criminal Records Office Fingerprint Bureau and of the organisation of fingerprint services within Scottish police forces following the introduction of the AFR IT system. 
* Assisting in the preparation of a bid to SOEID for start-up funding and, subsequently, the preparation of a five year business plan for Argyll College, which operates a network of ICT-linked local learning centres offering learning packages supplied by partner FE and HE institutions within the University of the Highlands and Islands Project. 
* Assisting the Scottish Examination Board in the conduct of a feasibility study to identify business and financial benefits, which could be delivered by a new computerised information and communications system. 
* Designing and delivering off-site development events for management teams facing new internal and external situations. In one public sector example, the team went on to deliver a complex IT project to meet a challenging DfEE deadline and dramatically increased the successful recruitment of high quality permanent staff in an extremely competitive labour market. 
* Facilitating top team meetings during periods of strategic challenge at a progressive Scottish higher education establishment. Helping board members from different backgrounds to work together to formulate shared policy and priorities. 
* Ongoing evaluation of the organisational implications of Scottish Enterprise's pilot Workplace of the Future project, which challenges traditional working practices and explores innovative workspace design. 
* Led a team, on behalf of a local authority, to appraise the economic potential of a planned Heritage Centre and related retail development in an environmentally sensitive area of Scotland. 
* Established a procurement process for IT equipment, software and related services for a public sector organisation.